Winter Crossing to the North Pole

Mike Horn(Left) & Borge Ousland at Golomiyanniy, Island of Sredny, North Siberia. They left Cape Artichevsky at 09:00 GMT 20.01.2006 for the North Pole, a distance of 1000 kms. If they get there before 21st March (sunrise at the North Pole) they will be the first to do it in winter. Cap Artichevsky is notorious for being a difficult point to start due to strong currents moving the fast ice. The conditions at the start were particularly treacherous as the temperatures were unusually high (-2 C) making this ice unstable. Fortunately a westerly wind had pushed fast ice on the western side of Cap Artichevsky, creating a bridge between the mainland and multiyear ice. It is now a race against time to reach the multiyear before conditions change. Considering the difficult terrain and the fully laden sleds, it may take them up to two weeks to cover the 100 kms between the Cape and the safe ice.To know more about Borge and Mike visit www.ousland.com & www.mikehorn.com...See more images go to .www.devenish.ch/login .user: mikehorn Password: archive. .Free press pictures do the same but put in password: press..International Picture distribution contact http://www.dppi.net/